Football pants



May 8, 1928.

J. GUYON FOOTBALL PANTS- Filed Junei 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet W E h//////////7 07 Patented May 8, 1928.

UNITED" STATES JOSEPH GUYON, F JACKSON, TENNESSEE.

FOOTBALL PANTS.

Application filed Inn 1,

This invention relates to improvements in football pants.

The primary object of this invention is the provision of improved guardmeans for football pants, embodying novel detachable and adjustableguard features for best protecting a players body in the lumbar region,hip, thigh, and knee.

A further object of this inventionis the provision of improvementsinfootball trouser construction utilizing relatively broad rigid guardmeans shaped in a body protecting and conforming relation.

A further object of this invention is the provision of football pantsembodying a novel guard arrangement adapted to sub stant-ially encirclethe lumbar region of the player, above and about the loins and waistviews,

of the wearer.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a novel thighguard construction for football pants. l

A further object of this invention is the provision of a novel hip guardconstruction for football pants.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a novel kneeguard construction for football pants.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent duringthe course of the following detailed description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, andwherein similar reference characters designate corresponding partsthroughout the several Figure 1 is a front elevation of the improvedfootball pants, showing improved external and internal guard detailsthereof.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken through the improvedfootball pants, looking towards the front and showing the improvedarrangement of guard and other connecting details.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken through the legconstruction ofthe improved football trousers, substantially on the line3-3 of Figurel, and showing improved guard means associated therein.

Figure i is a fragmentary sectional view of the upper guard constructionof the football trousers, looking from the inside towards the rear.

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view 1926. Serial No. 113,055.

through the improved football trousers, looking toward a side.

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic representation of the relative association ofguard members which are associated in the lumbar guard construction ofthe improved football trousers.

Figure 7 is a somewhatdiagrammatic' representation of relatedthighandknee guard membersused in the guard construction in the legs of theimproved" football trousers.

Figure 8 is an inside view of a novel thigh guard as used with thefootball pants.

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken sub stantially on the line 9-9 ofFigure 8.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary perspective view of a novel elastic jointused in the rear of the football trousers for attaching the lumbar guarddevice to the trunk of the trousers. i p In the drawings, wherein forthe purpose of illustration is shown only a preferred embodiment of thisinvention, the letter A may generally designate the improved "footballpants, which may comprise the flexible fabt ric trouser portion'B;lumber guard construction C; hip guard members D; thigh guard members E;bers F. c i

The trouser body B as above mentioned is of some flexiblelmaterial,preferably fabric, such as duck, canvas, or the like, and it comprisesthe hollow leg portions 10 and 11, to which is connected theconventional trunk 12 including the waist band 13. At the front of thetrunk 12 is the ordinary flap opening 1 1 secured in closed position bylacing 15 or the like, and above which a belt strap and buckleconstruction 16 may and knee guard membe provided, if desired The'trouserbody B may include other conventional features, if desired, butthe main novelty of thisinvent-ion consists in the provision of theguard devices and constructions for the improved football pants, and thebody B is only novel in so far as form to these features.

Referring to the guard construction 0, the same has been provided fordetachable assemblage to the trunk portion of the trousers B, andmoreparticularly to the waist band 13 thereof, to extend upwardly there itis altered to confrom and to encircle the players body in the lumbarregion, to protect the players muscles, bones, arteries, glands, nerves,veins,

and the like in the lumbar region and adjacent thereto.

The guard construction C preferably comprises a flexible fabricenclosing casing, including the inner and outer flexible walls orportions and 21, which along the top of the fabric enclosing casing 23are stitched together entirely about the guard device C, and reinforcedby tape or binding material 24, of any approved character. At theirlower edges the wall portions 20 and 21 are stitched together at 26, andthe casing 23 has the ends of the walls 26 and 21 secured together bystitching 27 and the reinforcing tape or binding 28 as illustrated inFigure 1 of the drawings. Adjacent these ends of the casing or bodyconstruction 23 of the guard device C it is preferred to provide eyelets30 on one end and eyelets 31 on the other end, which receive anysuitable element therebetween, such as a tie or lace thread or cable, todraw the lumbar band about the body of the wearer, in a properlyadjusted and enclosing relation. Adjacent the waist band 13 the flexiblefabric casing 23 is of smaller diameter, when in position, than at thetop thereof, thatis, the walls flare upwardly, so that it is only at thewaist or adjacent the loins of the wearer, that the lumbar guardconstruction C has a snug fit, and thus permitting free movement of thebody of the wearer above the waist and within the guard construction C,as is quite obvious.

The rigid guard construction of the lumbar band 0 preferably comprises a.rigid back guard member 35, preferably made of some light weight rigidmaterial, such as papieranach, fiber, or aluminum. The back guard member35 is preferably rectangular in outline, and in horizontal cross sectionit is concave-convex. It fits in a special pocket provided and enclosedbetween the walls 20 and 21 of the casing 23, in the position indicatedby the shade lines in Figured of the drawings, and the pocket made toreceive this rigid concave-convex back guard member 35 is enclosed bystitching 36 which peripherally connects the walls 20 and 21 entirelyabout the member 35. The corners of the back guard member 35 are roundedor beveled at 37 to prevent injury to the player, and to permit somerelative movement of other guard members to be subsequently mentioned,during the bending of the body of the player. This guard member 35 fitsacross the back of the wearer, above the base of the spine for aconsiderable distance to protect the lumbar vertebrae, as well as theback muscles and other vital organs of the body. The member 35 isrelatively high and broad, and is rigid, and in this respect differsfrom the narrow guard members which have heretofore been provided insome trouser constructions.

The rigid guard construction of the lumbar guard band or'device Cfurthermore includes the side guard plates 39 and 40,

disposed at opposite sides of the band C, and at opposite sides of theback guard 35, these guard members 39 and 10 being rigid, and arepreferably the same material as the back guard plate or number 35. Themembers 39 and 0 are substantially triangular in formation, and inhorizontal cross section are substantially concavo-convex, in bodyconforming relation to the wearer, with the concavity sides facing thebody of the wearer when the guard band is in position. Each of thetriangular guard plates 39 and &0 has a Vertical side edge 42substantially parallel with an adjacent side edge 44 of the guard plate35, and the bottom edges 45 of the guard plates or members 39 and 40extend in substantially right angled relation with the vertical edges42. The top edge 46 of each piate 39 and 40 may be called thehypothenuse, and it is preferably slightly convex and slopes downwardlytowards the front of the wearer, to substantially a blunt peak a7. Thelower edges of the guard plates 39 and 40 towards the front or bluntpeak 47 bevel or incline upwardly at 50, to permit the player to bendforwardly without interference from the loin guard plates 53 and 54which are positioned below the guard plates or members 39 and 40respectively in a cooperating relation therewith. The guard plates 39and 40 are of course enclosed in pockets stitched within the flexibleduck or fabric casing 23, between the walls 20 and 21, and the stitchingis peripherally outlined about each of these rigid side plates 39 andd0, in order to prevent sliding movement of the same in any directionbetween the walls 20 and 21, the stitching being particularly well shownat 55 in Figure 1 of the drawings. The blunt peak ends 47 of the sideplates 39 and 40 term inate for a considerable distance short of theeyelets 30 and 31, to provide relatively wide flexible flap portions atthe ends of the casing 23, which may be flexed so that the wearer maydraw the same snugly against :lEllS abdomen in a protecting relationthere- The guard plates or members 53 and 5a are horizontally elongatedto the same width as the upper side plates 39 and 10, and the plates 53and 5 1- are disposed immediately therebelow, so that the lowerhorizontal edges 56 thereof are substantially flush with the lower edge57 of the back plate 35 above described. The upper edge 58 of each ofthe plates 53 and 54 is horizontal, and the plates or members 53 and 54:are much less in vertical height than the side plates imloo mediatelythereabove. It is to be noted that the spaces between the plates 58 and5a and the next adjacent plates thereabove, at

the front of the wearer, are substantially triangular, to permit thewearer tobend forwardly without a conflicting abutment of the rigid sideplates. The plates 39 and 53, as well as the plates 40 and 5am'ay besaid to each provide a multiple rigid reinforcing side plateconstruction, and the side plates 53 and 5 1 are enclosed in pockets inthe fabric casing 28, and surrounded by stitching in the manner abovedescribed for the other guard plates. At their'outer lower corners 59the lower side plates 53 and 5e are beveled upwardly.

The guard construction furthermore includesa substantially triangularspine protecting rigid plate 60, which is substantially concavo-convexin body conforming relation, and which is supported in a substantiallytriangulardepending portion 61 of the casing 28, which extendsdownwardly at the base of thespine of the wearer, at the inner side ofthe trunk portion 12. This triangular spine protecting portion has theblunt peak end 63 thereof facingdownwardly, and the upper edge 6%parallel with the lower edge 67 and adjacent to the back plate 35.

From the foregoing description of the construction C it is apparent thatthe fabric walls of the flexible casing portion 23 thereof enclose theback plate 35, side plates 89 and 58, side plates 40 and5 l, and spineproteoting plate 60, in an enclosing relation, all of said guard platespreferably being concavo convex in transverse section, and beingrelatively broad to cover a considerable surface across the body ofthewearer, in contradistinction'to narrow rigid strips which have sometimesbeen provided; all ofthe rigid protecting plates being enclosed andseparated by means of stitching.

Referringto the manner ofdetachably assembling the improved lumbarprotecting device G upon the waist band 18 of the trousers B, it ispreferred to provide aligning eyelets at spaced intervals about thewaist band 13, and the guard device C, to receive detachable connectinglaces 65. As is shown in the drawings, these laces are detachably placedat the front of the wearer, toward each side, and at each extreme side.At the back of the trousers A, a detachable elastic connection isprovided between the back plate 35 of the reinforcing construction C andthe waist band 13 of the trousers B, as is illustrated in Figure 10 ofthe drawings. It-preferablyconsists of an elastic band -68 stitched at69 to the flexible trunk portionlQ. of the trousers, at the waist band13 thereof, and extending upwardly and being provided with eyelets, foralignment with similarly provided eyelets '70 which extend through thereinforchas been given, it is apparent that a novel lumbar region guarddevice G has been provided, which embodies a novel body guardingconstruction, which may be placed in a detachable relation upon theconventional fabric trouser portions '13 of football trousers, in anovel and eflicient relation, from which the same may be detached if notdesired to be used, as during washing of the fabrictrouser portion B.The fact that the parts B and G are detachable is very important, fornumerous reasons which will be apparent to those skilled. in the art towhich this invention relates.

Referring now to the hip guard constructions D, one of each of the sameis provided at each side of the trousers B, within the up per legportions thereof, in a manner for de tachable and adjustable supportfrom the waist guard construction C, independent of the flexible trouserportion B. These hip guards D preferably each comprise the rigidpolygonal shaped guard plate or member 70, which in cross section isconcavoconvex, and which is sufficiently long to extend from adjacentthe top, of the hip downwardly past the top of the femur or thigh bone,as a protection therefor, and for the adjacent muscles and other vitalparts. At the lower front corners the guard plates 70 are beveled at 72,so as not to interfere with the body of the wearer in any respect. Theoutline of the. guard plates 70 is substantially square with theexception of the cut-away or'bevel corners 72, as can be seen fromFigure 6 of the drawings.

The guard plates 70 are enclosed in fabric casings 745, which entirelyenclose the said guard plates therein.

The guard devicesqD are supported by means which is well illustrated inFigure 5 I of the drawings, to permit the vertical orlongitudinaladjustment of the same towards or away from the lumbar guardconstruction C, or to permit the same to be laterally adjusted tovarious degrees aboutthe body to prop erly position the same. To thisend, it is preferred to provide a plurality of eyelets7-l alongthe/lower edge of the guard deviceC, preferably only through the casingportion 23, but they may. also beextended through the side plates 53 and54 to perforate the 'peak 87.

same. Similarly positioned eyelets 75 are also arranged along the upperedge or margin portion of each guard device D, thru only the casingswhich encloses the guard plates 70, but suitable perforations may-alsobe provided in the plates to accommodate the eyelets 75, l desired. A.flexible lace or cable member 76 is provided for threading through theeyelets 74 and 75, and is readily apparent that the lacings 76 and maybe so positioned as to vertically align the eyelets 74 and in anydesired relation, to secure a lateral adjustment of the guard device D,or towards or away from the guard construction C, as is perfectlyobvious, and thus the guard constructions C and I) may best be adjustedto suit the convenience and body of the wearer. it is an importantfeature that the hip guard devices D are detachable and adjustable, andthis permits the cleaning thereof, or the cleaning of the trouserportions B, and subsequent readjustment of the construction devices I),to compensate for shrinkage of the different parts, or to fit differentpersons who might wear the same trousers on different occasions.

Referring to the thigh guard construction E, one of each of the same isdetachably and adjustably positioned in each leg 10 and 11 of thetrouser portion proper B. Each of these constructions E preferablycomprises a verticaly elongated and relatively broad guard plate 80,which is rigid, and of any approved light weight material, such as abovementioned for the other guard plates. intransverse section the rigidguard plate 80 is concavo-convex and preferably struck from a radius andproperly arcuated on compound curves to snugly fit in conformingrelation to the contour of the thigh portion of the leg of the wearer,providing a concavity which receives the forward and thigh portions ofthe legs, although the thigh guard construction E may be laterallyadjusted to any position desired, to protect the various muscles and thebones of the upper leg. Upper and lower edges of the guard plate 80conform to the contour illustrated in Figure 7 of the drawings, that is,the lower edge 82 thereof is convex, and the upper edges thereof slopeat and 84; in a converging relation from the vertical side edges 85vandS6, to a blunt These guard plates 80 are suitably enclosed in flexiblecanvas or other fabric casings 87, to entirely enclose the same therein.

As to the means of attaching the thighguard construction E for verticaland lateral adjustment within the legs 10 and 11 of the trouser body B,the legs 10 and 11 are each preferably provided with an elongatedreinforced strip 89 stitched at 90 on the legs,

extending vertically for the major length of the leg, and transverse orhorizontal ser es of eyelets are extended through these strips 89 andlegs which support the same. These transverse or horizontal series ofeyelets each comprise an inside eyelet 90, an outlet eyelet 91, and anintermediate eyelet 92, in the same horizontal line transversely acrossthe trouser leg. All of the outside eyelets 91 are in verticalalignment; all the intermediate eyelets 92' are in vertical alignment,and all the inside eyelets 90 are in vertical alignment. T he guarddevice E for each leg is similarly provided with eyelets, each guarddevice including transverse or horizontal series of eyelets in the samenumber as the horizontal series of eyelets provided in the trouser legwhich supports the construction E, these series of eyelets for the guardmember E each including an inner eyelet 94, an outer eyelet 95, and anintermediate eyelet 96; all of the outer eyelets 95 vertically aligning;all of the intermediate eyelets 96 vertically aligning; and all of theinner eyelets 9th vertically aligning. It is readily apparent that thevertical inner eyelets 94- of the guard construction E, may be alignedwith the vertical eyelets 90, ill, or 92 of the trouser leg 10 or 11, inorder to properly position the construction E in the desired position,and then through several of the aligning eyelets of the construction Eand the trouser leg, detachable connecting legs or clamps 98 and 91) maybe threaded, in order to support the guard construction E in a properposition on the leg of the wearer, for protection of his thigh andadjacent body parts. By reason of the transverse arrangement of theeyelets of the leg and thigh guard construc- 'tion E, it is apparentthat the guard construction E may be adjusted in the leg of the garmentfor a considerable lateral ad j ustment equivalent to the total distancebetween the outer and inner eyelets of the leg and guard construction E.Also, the guard construction E may be vertically adjusted in the legupwardly or downwardly, to selectively align any of the eyelets of theleg and guard construction E to properly position the guard Eaccording-to the height of the wearer.

An important feature of the guard construction E, which may also be usedin connection with any other of the guard plates of the invention, isthe provision of shock absorbing straps 100 and 101, which arehorizontally positioned at the upper and lower ends of the thigh guardE. Each of these shock absorbing straps 100 and 101 has portions 103thereof stitched at the convex sides of the guard device E, diagonallyextended over the surface thereof, as illustrated in Figure l of thedrawings; these straps for their shock absorbing feature each extendingacross and into the pocket formed by the con cavity of the guard deviceE, being stitched at lOlintermediate their ends to the vertical medialline of the guard device T, to provide the taut shock strap portions 106and 107,

best illustrated in Figures 3 and 9, of the drawings, in spaced relationwith the facing cavity surfaces of the guard device E, and which arepreferably non-elastic, although flexible, so that incident to impactagainst the ground or otherobstruction, the same will provide a buffingeffect for the leg of the operator, to prevent injury thereto.

Referring to the knee guard construction F, one of the same is providedfor each leg 10 and ll, and as is illustrated in Figure 7 of thedrawings, the same preferably includes an oval-shaped rigid guard plateor member 105, which is oval-shaped in contour, with the major thereofhorizontally arranged, and in section alongthe majoraxis the plate 105is concavo-conveg; in order to conform to the contour of the leg and theknee of the wearer. As is illustrated in Figure 5 of the drawings, thisplate 105 1s enclosed by a fabric casing 10'? of,

flexible material, and has padding 105 therein. 7

The knee guard F preferably detachably and adjustably is supported bythe lower ends of the thigh guard construction E, in

an independent manner with respect to any connection with the trouserbody B or the legs thereof. To this end, it is'preferred,

to provide a plurality of eyelets along the lower margin of the guardconstruction E, preferably three eyelets 110, and likewise at the uppermargin of the guard construction F three eyelets 111 are provided, whicheyelets 110 and 111 may be arranged in any vertically aligned relation,for receiving a connecting lacing 112. In this manner the knee guard Fmay be connected to the thigh guard E, to permit its adjustment towardsor away from the thigh guard E, alongthe length of the leg, or forlateral adjustment with respect to the thigh guard E, within the leg, inorder to best protect the desired part of the knee of the wearer.

From the foregoing description of this invention it is ap arent that anovel guard construction for iootball' trousers has been rovided, theguard parts of which are etachable from the conventional fabric trouseror body portion of the pants, so that the fabric may be washed bydetaching the guard construction features. The guard eatures areadjustable with respect tothe protect the muscles of the wearer. *Incident to the broad rigid construction of the body conformingplates of theguard constructionsbf this invention, however, the muscles of the bodyof the wearer will be effectively protected. Thus, in' connection'medius, and minimus, tensor fascize femoris,

pyri formis, as well as the sciatic nerve and ligaments, and bones ofthe hip joints. The thigh muscles are-efiiciently protect-ed'bythe thighconstructions, and the knee bones and muscles are protected againstinjury.

Various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be madeto the form of invention herein shown andde- V scribed, withoutdeparting from the spirit of the same or the scope ofthe claims.

I claim: 7 r

1. As an article of manufacture a guard construction for use about afootballplayers body in the lumbar region comprising a flexiblesupporting casing, a relatively broad back guard plate in the supportingcasing, and horizontally elongated upper and lower rigid guard plates inthe supporting casing at each of the sides thereof and at each side ofthe back guard plate.

2. Asan article of manufacture a guard construction for use aboutafootball players body in the lumbar region comprising a flexiblesupporting casing, a relatively broad back plate in the supportingcasing, horizontally elongated upper and lower rigid guard plates in thesupporting casing at each of the sides thereof and at each side of theback plate, and a substantially triangular shaped spine protecting rigidguard plate in the casing below the back plate.

3. As an article of manufacture a guard construction for use about thebody of football players comprising a supporting band of flexiblematerial, a substantially polyg onal shaped relatively broad and highback plate of rigid formation horizontally concavo-convex connected tothe flexible supporting fportion, and elongated side guard rigidformationhorizontally conplates 0 cave-convex, and supported by the bodyof the guard construction at each side of the back plate.

4. As an article of manufacture a verti longitudinally adjustablerelation, within the legs of span of football trousers, and shockabsorbing straps carried in taut relation from one side of the plate tothe other across the concave face thereof in outstanding relation withsaid concavo-convex face.

5. In football pants the combination of a flexible trouser bodyincluding a trunk having a waist band and leg portions, a lumbar regionguard construction detachably supported by the waist band of the trunkof the trouser portion in upstanding relation thereform, and including aplurality of substantially concavo-convex rigid guard plates therein,hip guard devices each including concavdconvex rigid guard plates, meansfor detachably connecting the hip guards below and directly to thelumbar region guard device within the trunks of the trouser portionselongated rigid thigh guards having a transverse concavo-convex shape,means for adjustably positioning them directly on the legs of thetrouser body for longitudinal and lateral adjustment with respectthereto, knee guard pads of substan tially oval-shape formation havingpadded portions therein, and means for connecting the same directly tothe lower ends of the thigh guards for longitudinal adjustment towardsand away therefrom.

6. In football pants the combination of a flexible trouser portion, anda lumbar region guard construction connected withthe trouser portioncomprising a broad concavoconvex substantially rigid guard platesufficient to extend substantially. across the entire back of thewearer, and substantially rigid horizontally elongated concavo-convexside guard members, extending along the sides of the wearer andpartially to the front of the wearer.

7. In combination with flexible football trousers including a waistportion, and a relatively broad and high rigid concavoconvex guard platesecured with the Waist portion for individually extending substantiallyacross the entire back of the wearer, and a downwardly tapered rigidguard plate secured to the waist portion below the first mentioned platefor protecting the base of the spine of the wearer.

JOSEPH GUYON.

